Clipped Wings
by KusajishiFukutaicho
Summary: In another life, they might have been Boss and Right Hand. But this wasn't that world and they weren't who they were supposed to be. The road diverges for Tsuna at the tender age of ten…AU. Currently being rewritten.


Disclaimer: I disclaim to be Amano Akira who must be seriously lurking around FF. Did you see the latest chapter? LOL.

A/N: I _know_ I should be working on Vigilantes, but I have run into an absolutely annoying writer's block and there's no one to rescue me! -wail- So I had no choice but to put that aside for a while and pen down some ideas and hope to get my inspiration back…Hope you'll like this!:D

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><p><em><strong>Clipped Wings<strong>_

_Chapter 1_

_Without his wings, the little angel found that he could not go to help those he loved, so he wondered, "What use am I?" And he wept when he could not find an answer._

"What am I going to do…?"

Tsuna kicked at the stones despondently, sending clouds of dust flying. The ten-year-old trudged along the pavement, alone as he made his way home.

_Just as well,_ he thought gloomily. He didn't have the mood to entertain any classmate with his _Dame_ness now, anyway.

He clutched in his hand the Math paper the teacher had thrown in his face today and he wondered how he was going to explain the large red _twenty-seven_ to his mother when he got home. It didn't help matters at all that the total marks for the paper was _sixty_ and not _thirty_.

"_Sawada, I see that it's __**you**__ again. What is this?"_

"_Dame-Tsuna…"_

"…_stupid…"_

"…_failure!"_

It really wasn't his fault that he didn't feel well during the test and had ended up being the only one who failed and pulled their test average down again. He had prepared for the test and studied to the best he could and expected to pass. And he was three marks away-_three marks! _Tsuna wanted to cry. He hastily turned and looked around. There was no one familiar in sight. He breathed a soft sigh of relief and fat drops of tears began to leak out of his eyes.

He really hadn't meant to fail the test, why couldn't his classmates understand?

And beyond that, he wished that they would let him into their little circles. He was so lonely, always having to sit by himself during lunch. If anything, he just wished for a friend!

He sniffled loudly and walked on faster. He always tried so hard to fit in and he never could. The other children's constant rejection was very hurting, and when they deigned to walk home with him, it was to make fun of him. He really couldn't understand what he has done to make them hate him so much.

Tsuna subconsciously clenched the test paper in his hand tighter and the sheets of paper were fast becoming a rumpled mess, but he didn't take notice and instead rubbed at his eyes as his house came into sight. He wouldn't let his mother catch sight of his crying. She had just told him the other day that he was too old to cry like this anymore.

He stopped at the door resolutely and put on a brave look as he opened the door. His brown depths were, in fact, puffy and red, but Tsuna didn't know yet.

As the door swung open, he found the house surprisingly silent.

"Kaa-san?"

His timid voice echoed around the house eerily and the ten-year-old felt his heart thud loudly. He wandered to his mother's room and stuck his tousled head in. His mother was not there.

He didn't have time to wonder where his mother was as he suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of nausea. Cupping a hand to his mouth, he dashed to the bathroom and was just in time to empty the contents of his lunch all over the bathroom floor.

The nausea did not go away and he stood there, swaying slightly as he heaved. After a long few minutes, he finally stopped heaving and he looked at the mess he created in horror. He dashed to the kitchen then and fetched a cloth and began the long process of cleaning up.

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><p>"Tsu-kun, I'm home!"<p>

Sawada Nana's voice was cheery as she opened the door and slipped into the living room. She smiled when she saw her ten-year-old son sitting on the couch. She dashed to give him a tight hug and proceeded to kiss him on the forehead.

It was then she noticed his chapped lips and she frowned slightly in concern.

"Tsu-kun, have you been drinking enough water?" Her son nodded and she gave a half-exasperated smile as she took his empty cup from the table and brought it to the kitchen to refill with water-only to discover that the huge kettle full of water that she had cooked just before she left for work empty.

Her brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Tsu-kun, did you finish up the water in the kettle?"

"…I was thirsty, Kaa-san."

Her son's timid voice came to her ears and she beamed at him as she filled the kettle with water and set it to boil. She scooted over to her son and sat down beside him. She noticed his subdued manner, but she didn't ask, instead recounting her day in a light and bright voice. It was her own way of dealing with the absence of her husband in their lives.

"…and tomorrow my Boss has given me a day off, so we can go shopping in the mall! Is there anything you want to buy, Tsu-kun? Kaa-san will buy anything in the world just to-"

When those large brown eyes suddenly became watery and her son promptly burst into tears, she stopped and looked at her son in concern.

"Tsu-kun, what's wrong? Come, you can tell Kaa-san!"

Her son didn't reply and she ran soothing motions down his back patiently.

Sudden he slipped off her lap and dashed inside his room. Bewildered, she watched as he dashed out again a moment later with something white in his hand. She looked towards his hand and she thought she understood.

Her face softened and she patted the seat next to her encouragingly but her son did not sit and instead, handed her the test paper with trembling hands. She could see him flinch as her eyes fell onto the red _twenty-seven_ on the first page and she felt a small twinge.

"Tsu-kun," she said gently, "come, come here and sit and stop hovering around. You're making Kaa-san nervous."

Finally-_finally-_he plopped himself down on the couch and looked at her with wide, terrified eyes. She sighed.

"Tsu-kun, what difficulties are you encountering in your subjects? Kaa-san can help, maybe?"

She spent the next twenty minutes going through the paper with her son and pointing out his mistakes and offering solutions.

By the better half of the hour, her son was resembling less of a terrified hare that was about to jump any second and was telling her, in between tears and sniffles, how lonely he is in school. Her heart twisted at the look of utter misery on his face and her arms moved on her own accord.

As she wrapped them tightly around the soft, warm body, she tried to quell his shaking by telling him, repeatedly, that no, she wasn't angry, and she is sure that the children don't mean it, maybe they can-

It was then she realized how thin her son had become over these few months and she felt a sharp pang of guilt.

"It's Kaa-san's fault for spending so much time at work and not enough time with you, Tsu-kun."

"N-No, Kaa-san, it's Otou-san's fault for not coming home."

A moment of awkward silence descended upon them as mother and son are reminded of the head of the family who had gone missing a year ago.

"Yes, "she conceded finally, "it was."

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><p>The next day was bright and Tsuna woke up feeling a lot lighter than yesterday. His mother hadn't been angry with him and even helped him with his homework!<p>

He felt happy for the entire day and nothing could affect him, not even those jeers that were delivered his way. He had a smile for everyone. He looked forward to the end of school and when the bell rang, he made his way as fast as possible to the school gate.

As he waited for his mother, he felt distinctly thirsty and he reached for his bottle, which he discovered to his dismay was empty. He wondered at his thirst. He just drank about ten minutes ago! It seemed that he was constantly thirsty today.

However, when his mother came, the thirst flew out of his mind and he ran to her excitedly.

"Kaa-san, I can carry my own bag!"

She smiled at him and ignored his protests. They walked the short distance to the mall and Tsuna could feel a distinct sense of discomfort as they breezed pass the sliding doors. However, when his mother turned to him, he forced a smile and shook his head. He didn't want to waste such a precious day. It wasn't often that his mother got a day off her work.

"Tsu-kun, what would you like to buy?"

He heard his mother ask and he panted slightly as he trailed behind his mother. Black dots were swimming in his vision and he didn't answer. He felt, rather than saw his mother turn to him in alarm.

"_Tsu-kun!"_

_Kaa-san sounds so far away,_ he thought hazily as his knees buckled and his vision turned to black.

**To be continued.**

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><p>AN: What do you think? Who wants to give poor Tsu-kun a hug? *sees no one raising their hands* Meh. At least I want to. *cuddles him* I'm sorry that it sucked...but please review! Reviewers will get a tuna-shaped cookie!:3


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